Mining-machine.



L. F. HESS.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION nun 0012.13. 1911.

Patented July 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Jamil/Zap & by I Inventor,

Atto rneys L. F. HESS. MINING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 0GT.18, 1911.

Patented July 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorneys ATENT F ICE.

LOUIS F. HESS, or ans'rnn, WEST VIRGINIA, AssIGNoR' or ONE-HALF r WILLIAM N.

PAGE, or ANSTED,

WEST VIRGINIA.

- MINING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS F. Hnss, a citizen of the United. States, residing at Ansted, in the countyof Fayette and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Mining-Machine,'.of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject-matter of this application, is a mining machine, adapted primarily for operation upon coal, the machine being of thatgeneral type which 'is disclosed in my prior. Patent- #1,006,213, granted to meupon the 17th day of October 1911.

' provide an improved construction in which the driving and driven partsnre for most part carried by the frame upon which the motor is mounted, the operative security between the parts of the machine being thus increased.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for operating the conveyer.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and'arrangenient of parts-and in the details of col'lstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in, the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the, accompanying drawings,-l igure 1 shows the invention in top plan, parts being broken away; Fig. 2' is a longitudinal section upon the line A-B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3'is a longitudinal section upon the line (,L -D of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse section upon the line EF of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section. upon the line G-H of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section upon the line KL of Fig. l; and Fig. 7 is a sectional detailishowing one of the actuating shafts and its attendant parts.

In carrying out the inventionthere is provided a box-like casing 1,preferably of rectangular contour, the cas ng l comprising Specification o1 Letters Patent. Application filed October "18, 1911. Serial No. (355,336.

' side plates 2 and intermediate plates con nected adjacent their upper edges by beams 4,.the top plate being denoted by the numeral 5 and the bottom plate by the numeral 6. The plates 2 and 3 serve to define a pair of side compartments 7, and the plates 3 define, between them, a central chamber Patented July 16, 1912.

8. In; the front end wall, 9 or the casing l there is an opening 10, and in the intermediate plates 3, adjacent the front plate 9 there'are openings 11. One of these. openingsll is shown in Fig. 3, and at thisipoint it may be statedthat the side portions f the machine are like, the side compartme 7 containing duplicate mechanisms. But one of these mechanisms will be described: it being understood without further explanation, and upon an inspection of the drawings, that these mechanisms are of like construction. 1

Extended; longitudinall of the casing'l, upon the bottom 6 of the same, and within the central chamber 8, is a pair of tracks 12 which slant downwardly, toward the front of the machine. Mounted to reciprocate upon the tracks 12 is the carriage .of the mining machine, the carriage carrying the cutter head, the construction being such that the cutter head is given bot-h a rotatory and a longitudinally reciprocating motion,

when the machine; 1s in operation.

The carriage of the mining machine which moves upon thetracks 12, comprises a motor casing 14, the bottom of which is denoted by the numeral 15,. the bottom' 15 carrying transverse bearings 16, slidably connected with the tracks 12. In the rear wall '17 of the motor cas ing- 14:, and in the front Wall 18 thereof, is journaled the shaft 19 of the motor 20, which preferably is an electric motor. Secured to the rear end of the armature shaft 19'of the motor 20 is a pinion 21, meshing into a pinion 22, held for rotation with the cutter shaft 23. Across the rear end of the carriage extends a bracket 24 in which the rear end of the shaft 23 journaled. The hub 25 of the pinion 22 is held between the bracket 24 and one of the bearings 16 in which the shaft 23 is ournaled. The pinion 22 is thus maintained in gitudinal sliding movement in the hub mesh at all. times with the pinion 21, itabe 1 'ing understood that the shaft 23 has 3/1011" of the pinion 22. The S ae; 23 may be held 'journaled I shown) of any desired construction.-

this movement may bearing 29 to the shaft 23, collars 30's'i1rin the hub 25 of the pinion 2, for rotation therewith, in any desired manner. ,In the present instance, there is formed in the shaft 23, a ke balls 27 the inner face of the hub 25 of the pinion 22.

Adjacent its for rotation in a forward bearing 29, having sliding movement upon the tracks 12. The motor 20 is effective to cause the -way 26, in whichare engaged,

bearing 29 to move upon the tracks 12 longitudinally of the machine, and-in order that be transmitted from the round and, are secured to the shaft 23 in front of, and to the rear of the bearing 29. To the forward end of the shaft/23, and projecting outwardly through the opening 10- in the front wall 9, is a cutter head31, having a spiral rib 31. The-forward. end of the cutter head 31 may carry a bit (not Secured to the shaft 23 mid-way between its ends,-is a. worm 32, extending-through 37 being adapted to move, together. with the i motor casing 14, in slots 38 that are fash ioned in the intermediate plates 3 of the casing 1, the slots 38 having the same inclin'a t-ion as the tracks 12. The parts of the shaft 37, which lie in the center compartment 8 are equipped with cranks 39, and

from this point, in the description, but one side of the machine will be described.

Each crank 39 in the shaft 37 is operatively united with a forwardly extending connecting rod. 40, pivoted a's-shown at 41 between ears 4-2, upstandingfrom the forward bearing 29 which is adapted to slide upon the tracks 12.

'Journaled forro'tation in the side compartments '7, adjacent the bottom of the. machine, i are shafts 43 and 44,-c'arryingsprocket wheels 45,-about which is trained a.

belt 'conveyer 46, moving above, and co- -.operating with, an upwardly and rearwardly'inclined slide 47 which may be the upper face 'of'one of the 'beams 4. J our-. naled for-rotatlon in the side compartment 7 above the shafts 43 and 44 are other shafts- 48 and 48', carrying sprocketwheels 49, about which is trained a sprocket chain 50.

To the extremity of the-shaft 37 which extendstra'nsversely'of the machine, is seeld' in-a ball socket 28 formed in forwardend, the shaft 23is.

a drum 65,

'toward the other versely,

cured a sprocket wheel 51. This sprocket wheel 51 is located between the upper and lowerruns of the sprocket chain '50. A

lever 52 is fulorumed intermediate its ends upon the shaft 37, the lever 52 carrying at one end segments these segments 53 there are spaced rollers 54,

between which the upper run of the sprocket chain 50 engages. Upon the lower one of the segments 53 there are rollers 55, between which the lowerrun of the' chain 50 engages. Pivotally mounted upon that end of the lever 52 which is remotefrom the segments 53, is an arm 56. Said arm 56 has a swinging movement upon the lever 52,

transversely of themachine. Adjacent its upper end, the arm 56 carries a pair ofrollers 57, between which is held for longitudinal sliding movement, and for rotation,

but against transverse movement, the crank 58 of a shaft 59 journaled for rotation in V bearings 60 carried by the side plate 2 -of the casingl. Recalling that there are two 'of the shafts 59, it will be observed that the rear ends of the shafts extend, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, from the rear end of the casing 1. The rear,pr,otruding ends of the shafts 59 carry cranks 61, operat-ively united by a connecting rod 62.

The shaft 48' and the shaft 44 c'arry sprocket wheels 63, about which is trained a sprocket chain 64. The shaft 48 carries 66, constituting a part the strap 66 being connected'with a lever 67, fulcrumed upon any suitable portion of the machine. Recalling that there are two of the levers 67, it will be observed that these levers are connected, through the instru-' mentality of links 68, with cranks 69, formedupon the ends of a shaft 70, journaled for rotation upon the top of the cas- I The numeral 71 may indicate the chain which extends transversely through the casing 1, the chain 71, being anchored at its ends, as denoted by the numeral 7 2,'into any suitable portion of thew/all of the mine.

Suitable mechanism is provided for operating the. chain 71, whereby the casing 1 maybe moved "tra'sversely, from'one side of the openingin w 1 ich the machine is Working, side thereof. The mecha: nism for thus moving the machine transconstitutes no partof the present invention, and is neither shown nor described in this specification.

The operation of before described, is as follows." It will be noted that when the armatur'e'shaft 19 of the pin the motor20 is put into operation,

22, will ion 21, meshing-into the pinion cause a rotation of the pinion 22, and cona rotation of the shaft 23, the ro-' the shaft 23 being imparted to the sequently tation of about which is engaged a strapofa friction brake,

the device as I herein- 70 53. Upon the upper of p The cutter head 31 will of the mine, and retract the lo ose material within the casing 1, this material passing through the openlng's 11, into the side compartments 7, at the forward portions of which, the loose material is removed, by mechanism, the operation of which willbe described hereinafter. When the shaft 23 is in operation, the worm 32 will mesh into the pinion 34, causing a rotation of the shaft 37, the cranks 39 of which will operate the connecting rods 40, causing a reciprocation of the forward bearing 29, longitudinally of the machine, the bearing, owing to its connection with the shaft 23 (through the instrumentality ofthe collars causing a longitudinal reciprocation of the shaft 23, it being recalled that the rear end of the shaft 23 is free to slide to and fro in the hub 25 of'ihe pinion 22. Owing to the fact that the worm 32 is fast upon the shaft 23, it will be seen that the speed with which the shaft. 23, and consequently the cutter 21, is retracted, will be greater than the speed with which the shaft 23 and the cutter 31 is projected, since, when the shaft is retracted, the lead of the worm 32 gives an added increment.

From what-has been stated hereinbefore, it will be seen that when the motor 20 is in operation, the cutter 31 will, be rotated, and

cutter head 31. bore into the face will be given a longitudinally reciprocating motion. In addition to this lo-ngltudmal reriage attained, will now be described, in

the cutter is in operation,

cinrocating motion of the cutter 30, when the carriage, emprising the motor casing 14 and the forward bearing 29, may be retracted bodilv and advanced bodily, so as to change the position of the cutter 31 with respect to the face of the work, the construction being such that the cutter 31 may, if desired be retracted entirely within the casing 1, when the device is not in use. The mechanism whereby this bodily movement of the carits operation.

'ng Fig. 2 it will be understood that when the periphery of the sprocket wheel 71 which carried by the end of the shaft is spaced apart from the upper and h \vi-:i "r1iiis of thesprocket chain 50, there will be no operative connection between the shaft 3? and the sprocket chain 50. Let it be supposed that the sprocket wheel 51 is rotated in the direction of'the arrow as shown in Fig. 2, Under such circumstances, if the bar 6213c moved longitudinally, the cranks 61 will be operated causing a rotation of the shaft 59, the crank portion 68 of which will tilt and thrust downwardly the firm 56, the rollers 54 elevating the upper run of the belt 50 out of engagement with the sprocket wheel 51, the rollers elevating the lower run of the belt 50, until the lower run of the belt is brought into engageaway, so that the shaft 48 ment with the-sprocket wheel 51. If the shaft is rotated, so as to elevate'the crank arms 69 and to elevate the links 66, the levers 67'will be elevated, causing the brake straps 66 to engage with the drums G5 which "are carried by the, shafts 18. Thus/the sprocket chain 50 will be held againstlmove ment. WVhen, therefore, the shaft 37 is r0- tated, the sprocket wheel 51 being in mesh with the lower run of the belt 50, the car riage, comprising the motor casing 1-1 and the front bearing 29, will be urged forwardly. It is possible, moreover, as will be readily understood, to swing the lower run of the belt 50 out of engagement with the periphery of the sprocket wheel 51, and to bring the upper'run of the belt 50 into engagement with. the periphery of the sprocket wheel 51. Under such circumstances, if the shaft 37 be rotated, the carriage, comprising the motor casing 14 and the forward bearing 29 will be retracted. As hereinbefore explained, if the periphery of the sprocket wheel 51 engages neither the upper run nor the lower run of the belt 50, the carriage will remain at rest. Suppose, however, that v the sprocket wheel is engaged 'in the upper run of the belt 50, as and that the brake strap 66 has been slacked may rotate freely. Under such circumstances, when the shaft 87 is put into rotation, the sprocket wheel 51 will operate to drive the chain 50, the chain 50 imparting rotation to the shaft 48, and the shaft 48, through the instrumentality of the sprockctwheels ('33 andqthe sprocket chain 64, causing a rotation of the shaft 44:. The shaft 44 will' ac. 'iate the belt conveyer 46, and the material which has passed into the compartments 7 througlr the openings 11, will be drawn-ncarwardly by the belt conveyor 48, along the slide 47, the material being ultimately deposited at the rear of the machine.

The mining machine herein disclosed','considered. broadly, comprises a casing 1, a carriage 14-29 which is movable upon the casing 1, a cutter shaft 23 which is rotatable in the carriage, driving mechanism, embrac ing the shaft- 37 and sprocket wheel 51, this driving mechanism being operable from the cutter shaft 23, a movable member, represented by the sprocket chain 50, means for holding said member against movement, which means'comprises the brake strap 66 and its actuating adapted to receive material from the cutter shaft 23, means for operatively connecting the movable member with the conveyor, which means embraces the sprocketchain or belt 64 and the parts engaged thereby, and means for operatively connecting the drivwhich means includes the lever 52 and its attendant parts.

shown in Fig. 2,.

mechanism, a conveyor 46- mg mechanism with the movable member,

operatively a wheel upon Having thus described the invention, what, is claimed is 1. In a mining machine, a'casing; a carriage slidable upon the casing; a cutter shaft rotatable upon the carriage; driving mechanism operable from the cutter shaft; a movable member; meansfor holding said member against movement; a conveyer adapted to receive material from the cutter shaftfineans for operatively connecting the movable member with the conveyer means for connecting the mechanism will actuate the movable member and the conveyer, when the holding means is inoperative, and whereby the driving mechanism may slide the carriage, when the holding means is operative.

In a mining machine, a casing; a 'car-v riage slidable upon the casing; a cutter shaft rotatable upon. the carriage; a counter shaft I the I counter shaft; spaced shafts carried by the' casing; a flexible element trained'about the spaced shafts, the wheel of the counter' shaft being located between ,the runs of the flexible element;

' means for bringing the runs of the flexible element alternately intoco'nnection with the" wheel of thecounter-shaft; means. for hold- 'ing one of the spaced shafts against rotaa belt conveyer adapted to receive ma-' tion;

from the cutter shaft; and mechanism terial for operatively connecting the belt conveyer with one of the spas'edshafts.

3. In a m'inmg 1nachme,-a casmg; a carriage slidable upon the casing a cutter shaft rotatable upon the carriage; a counter-shaft 4. In a mining machine, a casing; spaced 7. shafts journaled for rotation inthe casing; a flexible element trained about the shafts;

a conveyer; means for operatively connectdriving mechanism with .the movable member, whereby the driving connected with the cutter shaft;

ing the conveyer with one shaft; a

mounted to slide inthe casing; a cutter mounted upon the carriage; a counte -shaft journaled upon the carriage and having a wheel located between the runs of the flexible element; a lever fulcrumed upon the coun-i' ter'shaft and vhaving means to engage both runsof the flexible element, to bring the runsalternately into engagement with the wheel; and means for holding one of the first mentioned shafts against rotation;

5. In a mining machine, a casing; spaced shafts journaledfor rotation in the casing; a flexible element. trained about the shafts;

means for holding one shaft against rotation; a belt conveyer operatively connected with one shaft; a carriage mounted to slide' in the casing; a cutter upon the carriage,

adapted to discharge upon the belt conyeyer;

a counter shaft journaled, for rotation upon the carriage and lraving a wheel located between the runs of the flexibleelement; a lever fulcrumed upon the counter-t shaftjand having --means to engage thelruns of the flexible element, to bring the-runsa ternately into engagement with the wheel; an arm pivotally connected with the lever;

and a-shaft having a crank portion engaged with the arm.

6. Ina mining machine, casingmounted to slide upon motor'including -a shaft journaled in the motor casing; a cuttershaft; means. for

a track; a motor journaling the cutter shaft upon the motor. casing;

shaft and the cutter shaft; a worm fixed;

means for connecting the motor upon the cutter shaft; a counter shaft journaled for rotation in the casingvand pro-.

carriage the track; the

vided with a crank; a gear wheel upon the v counter shaft, meshing into the worm; a

bearing slidable upon the tracks, the cutter shaft being =journaled for rotation..in the.

bearing, but being held against longitudinal movement therein; and a connecting rod united with the bearing and with the crank upon the counter-shaft. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in thepresence of twowitnesses.

. LOUIS-F. HESS. Witnesses:

"J. S. RULE,

HERBERT THo uAsson. 

